Biofilm formation on surfaces of an oral cavity, such as surfaces of teeth, is often contingent upon attachment of bacteria onto the salivary pellicle on the surfaces of the teeth. The biofilm formation resulting from the over accumulation of the bacteria on the surfaces of the teeth is implicated in a number of oral conditions and/or diseases (e.g., dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, halitosis, etc.). Accordingly, preventative or prophylactic approaches are often utilized to prevent the formation of the biofilm. For example, fluoride is often utilized in oral care compositions (e.g., toothpaste, mouthwashes, etc.) to prevent demineralization of the enamel of teeth.
While the prophylactic approaches have demonstrated efficacy in reducing the biofilm formation, these prophylactic approaches are only effective in the short-term. As such, recent efforts have focused on depositing coatings that resist bacterial adhesion on the surfaces of the teeth. For example, the deposition of positively charged polymeric coatings on the surfaces of the teeth has been demonstrated to reduce the viability of bacteria. The resulting net positive surface charge on the teeth, however, induced relatively increased bacterial adhesion due to the negatively charged bacterial cell wall.
What is needed, then, are improved compositions and methods for depositing or coating an antimicrobial or antibacterial composition on a substrate to prevent and/or inhibit microbial adhesion.